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Why AMD Hondo Z-60 Windows 8 Tablets will epic fail

Today, AMD officially announced that the first Windows 8 RT tablets using their latest processor Z-60 will be available during this year in stores. Both Microsoft and AMD play a dirty game providing hardware support only to Windows operating system, leaving out Linux distros. In that way, Microsoft believe they would out-space Android tablets and make path for Windows 8 tablets. Personally, I wouldn't spent my $250 in a tablet locked in hardware... especially when all of my friends play with Android. But if I had to buy a hardware locker, then iPad 3 would be my first choice... just saying...

So, new processor eh? The idea behind the AMD Z-60 is to combine a powerful CPU and a GPU into a power-efficient package. The Z-60 is AMD's lowest power APU, delivering performance and up to eight hours of active tablet use, combined with two weeks standby power. Well, it's obvious that AMD Radeon class graphics technology is likely to outpace Intel...but it comes at a price: The Z-60’s rated power is...higher than Intel’s...for the Atom Z2760.

What that could mean for potential customers is either [highlight color="yellow"]longer battery life...or better graphics[/highlight]

So, Z-60 comes with Radeon HD 6250 GPU, which has up to [highlight color="yellow"]six times the performance of Intel's[/highlight] "Cedar Trail" silicon chip. Customers will have to choose between possibly better graphics or longer battery life. Personally, if I had to choose between two tablets who both play the same games but one of them has better battery, then I would probably choose the second. However, if you translate this question into desktop PC, I would buy the first one -- better graphics.

[dropcap]Let's[/dropcap] become more specific and talk with numbers. According to AMD, they say that in 3Dmark 06 Hondo Z-60 scores 1701 while Intel Atom N2600 scores 373. Intel’s Z670 tablet chip scores just 137. Now that's a huge difference in graphics. In PC Mark Vantage Hondo scores 1770, Atom N2600 scores 1803 while the Z670 scores 1106. [highlight color="yellow"]Simply put, Z-60 is better that Atom N2600 in games. [/highlight].However, gamers use beastly PCs and PlayStation3 or XBox game consoles, not tablets. Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja are not graphics’s intensive titles, meaning you don't need a Radeon GPU to do that job. You're offered something you can't exploit. However if you are going to play Call of Duty in your tablet then you need a Radeon card and doctor. A Radeon will be used for graphics and doctor to check if you are mentally retarded, playing an massive multilayer FPS into a tablet instead of a 22' (or larger) inch monitor :P

In addition, AMD Z-60 is not a System on Chip (SoC). Meaning that all USB, SATA, and other functions are still handled by the Fusion Controller Hub (FCH), that so there is little space inside the tablet. Notice that room space may not be important to you having a PC case or whatever, but when things comes in tablet, space is a valuable thing not to be wasted. In other words, AMD-Z60 is not designed for tablets or if it was then they didn't do a good job.

Nice try AMD, but we are this is not our freshmen year. Also, Fusion need extra power during normal use, about 0.5W. Some may say I am an idiot for pointing out 0.5W as a significant difference, but if you take a look further your nose, you will find out that he AMD Z-60 is rated at 4.5W, which is much higher than the 1.7W that Intel lists for the Atom Z2760 "Clover Trail" silicon. Simply put, this increased power consumption translates directly into observable poorer battery life, even using AMD's own data. While AMD claims that a Z-60 tablet kitted out with a [highlight color="yellow"]30Wh battery can manage 6 hours of 720p HD video playback and two weeks of standby battery life, Intel says that "Clover Trail" silicon can pull off an extra 2 hours of video playback and an extra week of standby.[/highlight]

If Technology has ever taught us something, when you sacrifice performance over economy, you fail. Now, if you take this combination and add a locked hardware only to a Operating System that's unknown in tablets market, you have an epic fail.

Comments

Atom tablets really have shitty video performance, and I really think that AMD really have a place on this market.

I'll speak regarding to dockable tablets, such as the transformer (I know, android, but it's an example).

If you take such a product, you'll have a tablet, and a little pc when docked. And if it's your only pc, you would certainly be happy to have a decent proc, even if it consume mor power.

If you want to have a windows 8 tablet, and use the x86 applications, then you'll have to choose between intel and amd. Not all persons have a Ps3 or a Xbox, and for occasional gaming, the only possibility will be AMD's z-60.

I really think that the z-60 is a great product, and can just overpass any atom. The only problem is that from now on, We have'nt seen a lot of AMD powered tablet, and it's a big risk for AMD. They have to convince pc manufacturer to adopt their solution, otherwise, all the work they had done will be useless.

One more thing. At the begening of your article, you've made a big mistake : windows 8 RT cannot on x86 procs. It is devlopped for ARM proc.

Intel Fanboy.... omg watch the Displayresolution.... Intel Tablets wont be able to handle 1080p becouse of the bad grafic-hardware.... and read the reports... Intels SoC cant handle SATA or USB 3.0... that slows the whole system with the crapy eMMC down.... AMD would be able to handle what you want... ill give a crap of that millimeter more space in thicknes for that little bit more hardware

hahahahahahaha you should know because you have a android tablet and phone. Go look at what is using up your battery. It's not the processor, it's the screen. If you actually sat down and looked at everything drawing power, 3-4 watts would make the difference of about 10-20 minutes Maximum. Intel is just being very optimistic with their battery life claims... many companies do this. When was the last time you actually got all the claimed battery life of a laptop in one charge. You probably haven't cared to try it, but it will always be lower. AMD's claims are a lot more conservative. All in all, processors on mobile devices use very little battery.

How sure can he be of "not porting" to linux?As far as I know IT IS possible, but a little tricky. I am a linux user and I am looking forward to change my android tablet to a better one, most likely this one, because of the battery and better graphics (ohhhhh finaly my steam games....)

"Nice try AMD, but we are this is not our freshmen year"...Sounds like Your in junior high school to me.. Also for graphics related issues I havent heard JACK about using these devices for things such as Photoshop or Even say Maya.... intel and Android without awsome graphics can't touch it.All those designers out there will love taking this on the go without needing a laptop.

I think this is great actually,Im an engineer and also do games and freelance design work at home while i have an SLi set up at home for Games & rendering, This is great for Running Autocad and Other semi-intensive apps on a tablet, i can do design on the tablet and render on the PC.

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